Coupling for mining-cars.



E. S. EARLS.

COUPLING FOR MINING CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24,1914. RENEWED JAN. 3,1916.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

THE COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D4 c.

EDWARD S. EARLS, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

COUPLING FOR MINING-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed April 24, 1914, Serial No. 834,107. Renewed January 3,1916. Serial No. 70,082.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. EARLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Danville, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Coupling for Mining-Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in couplers for mining cars, whichare used under circumstances different from those under which railroadand street cars operate, and require for their better operation adifferent coupler. Mining cars are rapidly drawn bypowerful motors overrudely constructed tracks, which often have very sharp curves and suddenchanges in grade. The ordinary link and pin coupler and the variousinterlocking couplers, used on railroad cars, are unsatisfactory,because they do not permit sufficient lateral and vertical movement ofthe cars. 7

The objects of my improvements are to secure an efficient coupler easilyoperated by hand without the operator going between the cars, and topermit the sharp and suddenlateral and vertical movements of the carswithout their becoming uncoupled or derailed. I attain these objects bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a View in perspective of the entire device, and Fig. 2 is a similarview of the fiat connecting link or bar C.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the various views.

The clevis A (Fig. 1) is to be attached by a pin to the drawbar D of acar. The flat connecting link or bar C, with a perforation in each end,is, by one of its perforated ends, to be connected with the clevis A. Tothe drawbar D of the opposite car, the 3 link E, by the closing of oneof its ends, is to be attached securely, and the other end thereof,being recurved to avoid discon- Gopies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the nection, is to be connected withthe flat connecting link or bar C. The connection is perfected byinserting the open and recurved end of the 8 link E into the perforationof the disconnected end of the flat connecting link or bar G. In thismanner the coupling of the cars is completed. The cars may be readilyuncoupled by slacking them and lifting the flat connecting link or barG; whereupon the 8 link E will become disconnected. The flat link or barC and the 8 link E each remain attached to its respective car, and areready to be coupled again. There are no parts or pins to become detachedor lost.

My invention permits the lateral motion of the cars, caused by turningsharp curves at high speed, and also the vertical motion thereof, causedby sudden changes in the grade of the tracks, without the cars becominguncoupled or derailed.

I am aware that, prior to my invention, links and bars in variouspatterns have been used in car couplers. I, therefore, do not claim thcombination broadly, but

l/Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

The combination, in a car coupler, of a clevis A, which is to beattached by a pin to the drawbar of a car, of the link E, in the form ofa letter S, which is to be fastened to the drawbar of a car, by theclosing of one of its ends and having its other end open and recurved,and of the fiat connecting link or bar C, having a perforation in eachend, which is to connect with the clevis A, and also to receive, in theperforation of its disconnected end, the open, recurved end of the 8link E, all substantially as set forth and for the purpose specified.

EDWARD S. EARLS.

Witnesses:

M. P. LIGHTBODY, L. P. BAILEY.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

